Enhancing Indian Representation in SLHS through a Multicultural, Bilingual Aphasia Case Study


Presenter: Mahima Bhattacharjee

Faculty Sponsor: Jennifer Mack

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Education & Educational Research

Session: Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM, 163, C31

ABSTRACT

Intro: This study addresses the need for more examples of culturally humble and multicultural material within Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Curriculum (SLHS). In particular, there is a need to increase exposure to diverse populations, including those of Indian origin. This study follows students who completed a case study with an Indian, Hindi-speaking patient who has bilingual Broca’s aphasia; drawing their attention to multiculturalism and linguistic diversity in SLHS. 

Methods: The case was formatted as an Interrupted Case Study and co-taught by myself and my faculty mentor. It occurred over one class period that remained consistent with the instructor’s goals for the curriculum for that week. Students then completed an optional extra credit survey in which quantitative and qualitative questions about the case study were measured. 

Data: Preliminary analysis suggests that on a scale of 1-5; 25% of participants ranked that the activity increased their knowledge of multiculturalism as 4 out 5 while the other 75% ranked it as 5/5. Additionally, 100% of all participants ranked the case study as 5/5 for increasing their knowledge of bilingual aphasia. Qualitative analysis shows students liking how “interactive” the case study was and found it interesting to interact with a case study in a different language.

Conclusions: This case study proved to enhance student knowledge of a multicultural  and linguistically diverse population.  

RELATED ABSTRACTS